Spain’s Pablo Martin made European Tour history at the 2010 season-opening Alfred Dunhill Championship by becoming the first player to win a title as an amateur and a professional. Two years after he clinched the Estoril Open de Portugal – becoming the European Tour’s first amateur champion – Martin beat Charl Schwartzel by a shot at Leopard Creek. A fine 63 in the second round set Martin on course for victory, and he remained in pole position heading into the final day. Ernie Els was tied second at the start of the fourth round and looked to be Martin’s main challenger – not to mention the home crowd’s favourite – but a disastrous 77 on the final day meant he plummeted into a tie for 17th place. Els won the first edition of the tournament in 1995 and has won twice more since then, in 1999 and 2006 (December 2005).
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